1. Field of The Invention
This invention relates to a fluidic device for controlling the directional flow of a power jet exiting a power nozzle, and also to a fluidic amplifier incorporating this device.
2. Description of The Prior Art
As disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 3,451,412, it has been well known to control the directional flow of a fluid jet exiting a power nozzle downstream from the power nozzle. However, the location of a controlling element downstream from the power nozzle can cause interference with the proper performance of an entire fluidic device, such as a fluidic amplifier, and such interference can occur even when the downstream controlling mechanism is not malfunctioning.
Alternatively, it has been suggested in U.S. Pat. No. 3,269,419 that a piezo-electric device be imbedded within a wall of or upstream of a power nozzle. When the piezo-electric device is excited, the fluid jet exiting the nozzle is converted from a laminar flow to a turbulent flow, whereby the turbulently flowing fluid jet becomes latched to a side wall of the fluidic device. Thus, the directional flow of a fluid jet can be switched between a first and a second receiver as the fluid jet changes from laminar flow to turbulent flow and vice versa. However, since the turbulent flowing jet latches to the side wall which is immediately adjacent the imbedded piezo-electric device, the flexibility and degree of control over the directional flow of the power jet exiting the nozzle is thereby limited. More specifically, the device described in U.S. Pat. No. 3,269,419 is incapable of operating as a proportional amplifier, and is restricted solely to digital operation. Furthermore, in order for the device to be operative, the receiver, which is angularly displaced from the axis of the nozzle, must be precisely positioned. Still further, the switching of the jet flow from laminar to turbulent flow is sensitive and sometimes difficult to achieve.